2026 Football Eligibles
Undrafted from West Alabama, Malcolm Butler had a brief, yet potent career as a Defensive Back in the NFL. Butler signed with the New England Patriots, making the squad, and becoming a Pro Bowl at Cornerback in his second year (2015). Butler, who would have eight picks as a Patriot, will be forever known for the one in Super Bowl XLIX,…
Matt Schaub was the 2002 ACC Player of the Year and it helped put the Virginia Quarterback on the map for the 2004 Draft where he was chosen by the Atlanta Falcons in the Third Round where be backed up Michael Vick for three years. Schaub saw little action as a Falcon, but the belied was that he was ready to…
From American Samoa, Mike Iupati was an All-American at Idaho, and it propelled him to a First Round Selection by the San Francisco 49ers in 2010. Not surprisingly, he won the starting Left Guard job with the Niners, and he had his breakout year in 2012, earning First Team All-Pro honors and helping San Francisco reach the Super Bowl. Iupati was a…
Olivier Vernon had a nice collegiate career at the University of Miami, and the local pro team noticed, as the Miami Dolphins made the Defensive End a Third Round Pick in 2012. Vernon became a starter as an NFL sophomore at Right Defensive End, and in that year, he had a career-best 11.5 Sacks. Joining the New York Giants in…
A 3rd Round Draft Pick in 2005 by the St. Louis Rams, Incognito would crack the roster in the 2006 season and he would start every game albeit at three different positions (Center, Left Guard and Right Guard). He would settle in at the Right Guard slot and fared well, however he was one of the most penalized players in…
At Oklahoma State, Russell Okung won the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year, cementing himself as a top draft pick for 2010. He went sixth overall, going to Seattle and was the second Offensive Lineman taken behind likely Hall of Famer Trent Williams. Okung did not have Williams’ career, but it was still pretty good. Okung won the starting…
Sean Lee arrived in Dallas as a Second Round Pick from Penn State in 2010 and was their starting Middle Linebacker as a sophomore. Lee would lead the NFL in Interception Return Yards (174) in 2013, but a torn ACL took him out of the entire 2014 Season. Despite the setback, Lee returned to the Cowboys, and put forth the best back-to-back…
How do you replace a legend like Adm Vinatieri? You work on becoming one yourself. Stephen Gostkowski was the 2005 Conference USA Special Team Player of the Year, and he was the first Kicker taken in the next NFL Draft (118th Overall), taken specifically with the belief that he could replace Vinatieri, who departed to Indianapolis as a Free Agent. Gostkowski never…
Thomas Davis was drafted as a Safety in 2005, but the former First Rounder was also learning the role of Linebacker, which would be the position that he would stick within the NFL. Davis would become a good Linebacker but missed the entire 2010 season due to injury and saw limited action in 2011. The Panthers never game upon him,…
There was a time when it looked like Todd Gurley was going to be the next great Running Back, and why wouldn’t we think that? Gurley was the first Running Back taken in the 2015 Draft (10th Overall) and the Georgia Bulldog made the Rams look like geniuses as he proceeded to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year with 1,106…
Tramon Williams was an undrafted player from Louisiana Tech, and after a brief time in the Houston Texans pre-season camp, he found a spot on the practice squad of the Green Bay Packers. He made the team in 2007, and he remained in Green Bay for the next eight years. Williams became a starting Cornerback in 2008, and made the Pro…
Tyler Eifert won the 2012 John Mackey Award as the nation’s top Tight End, so it was expected that he would be the first of his position taken in the following draft, which he was when he was drafted 21st overall by the Cincinnati Bengals. Eifert had a good run with the Bengals, playing seven years there, peaking with a…